A bride-to-be often registers at various merchants to express her preferences in certain items she would like to receive as gifts for her wedding. For example, she may register with a merchant who specializes in dinner ware and the like, and selects a particular style and pattern of dinnerware, and also selects specific items in that style and pattern. The merchant keeps track as items are purchased for the registered bride, preferably on a computer system, so that only a predetermined number of each item selected by the bride is purchased. Often, the bride registers at more than one merchant, and the merchants typically tie their tracking system together for the convenience of the bride and the purchasers so that the same item is not purchased at two different stores. Or one particular merchant may have more than one location, and the purchase of an item at one location is reflected in the records of all locations.
Then, wedding guests wishing to buy a gift for the bride find out where the bride is registered and go to that merchant to select a gift for the bride. As each item is purchased, the purchase is noted and that way the bride receives no more than what she has selected.
Such a system would be very helpful in other situations as well. For example, when someone is hospitalized, then his or her family can register with a florist or other gift merchant, expressing particular preferences in what the patient would appreciate receiving. Such a system could then be helpful in other ways. For example, if a patient is registered with a florist, or with a service which ties a plurality of such merchants together, then the flowers or other gifts could be delivered over a period of time, and not all on the same day.
The present invention addresses this need in the art.